With just two matches left before the Serie A winter break, Inter Milan find themselves at the top of the Italian table. Antonio Conte‘s side has been one of the most exciting teams to watch in Europe this season. I Nerazzurri have backed up their exciting play with big wins and have a real chance to be the first side to break Juventus‘s recent dominance of Serie A.
Inter Milan Can Break Juventus’ Serie A Monopoly
A Much-Needed Squad Overhaul
After years of struggling to finish in Serie A’s top four, Inter Milan went all-in on squad upgrades this past summer. Veterans Radja Nainggolan and Ivan Perisic went out on loan to Cagliari and Bayern Munich, respectively. Meanwhile, troublemaker Mauro Icardi joined Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain.
The club replaced those players with a group of footballers who have made an immediate impact on the club. Romelu Lukaku, bought from Manchester United for €65 million, has been an instant hit in Milan. The Belgian’s 10 Serie A goals this season has only been bested by Ciro Immobile‘s 17. Lukaku has formed a sensational partnership with Argentine Lautaro Martinez. The duo already makes Inter’s attack one of Italy’s most feared.
Inter made some significant upgrades in midfield as well. Stefano Sensi and Nicolo Barella have each paired expertly with Marcelo Brozovic, Inter’s dynamic playmaker in the centre of the park.
But it is perhaps defensively where Inter has truly shone this season. The club has allowed only 13 goals across 15 Serie A matches, a league-best. Milan Skrniar has long been heralded as one of Europe’s next top defenders, but Stefan de Vrij has quietly been Inter’s most impressive defender this season. Veteran Diego Godin adds the perfect amount of steel and experience to give Inter one of Europe’s scariest defensive trios.
The Right Man for the Job
All of Inter’s transfer work would have gone to waste, however, without the right coach. Fortunately for them, they hired just the right guy in former Juventus, Chelsea, and Italy national team manager Antonio Conte.
Known for his hard-working, defensively sound style of play, Conte has had no trouble implementing his brand of football in Milan. The players seem to have bought into his ideas completely, as evidenced by the results on the pitch.
Lautaro Martinez and Romelu Lukaku are thriving in his two-striker system; Marcelo Brozovic is perfectly-suited to play Conte’s holding midfield role; and in De Vrij, Godin, and Skrniar, Conte has the ideal backline to hold it all together.
Beyond his tactical ability, Antonio Conte also possesses the perfect mentality to help Inter overthrow Juventus’s dominion on Italian football. He perfectly models from the sidelines the never-say-die attitude his team will need to win it all this season, and his leadership will be instrumental in any success I Nerazzurri find.
Now or Never
With Juventus falling a bit short under coach Maurizio Sarri, this season is the best chance any team will have to overthrow the “Old Lady”, and Inter Milan are in the position to do just that.
Antonio Conte has a squad that fits his style of play almost perfectly. The whole of Italy will be watching in anticipation for them to break Juventus’s monopoly over Serie A. And it looks like they just might do it.
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